Our Community

We love all people – the whole family and all generations.

Our history

Where it all began…

In early 1990, Ian Mather planted Maryborough Assembly’s of God church with a small group of people including Matt and Sam De Haan and their young kids Chloe and Curt.

By December that same year Clive Buck and wife Laurene and their children followed the call of God to step out in faith as a family to take on the church at Maryborough. This was under the auspices of the Bendigo Assembly of God church now called Connect Church Bendigo.

Maryborough AOG is renamed Genesis Church

In 2011 Maryborough Assemblies of God changed its name to Genesis Church Incorporated.

Celebrating a great legacy and beginning a new era

After 26 years of faithful service, Clive Buck passed the baton to Melbourne-based Pastor James ‘Jim’ McMillan.

Jim McMillan, together with his wife and children had many years experience serving in a variety of ministry roles across Australia and the US including Springvale, Richmond, Geelong, Canberra, Brisbane and Dallas, Texas.

Prior to taking on the lead Pastor role at Genesis Church Jim served with Open Doors Australia.

Genesis Church Launches Ballarat Campus

In 2018 Genesis Church begun its Ballarat campus at the Senior Citizens Hall in North Ballarat. The Maryborough team travel to Ballarat to serve the community.

Genesis Church Launches Online

In 2019 Genesis Church launched its new online presence with online services including, video meetings, giving and prayer.

In 2020, with the onset of the global Covid outbreak the church was more-than-ready to launch its “online” church services and zoom events helping people stay engaged, encouraged and safe during the tough periods. This took some time for people to become familiar with the technology – but many in the congregation rose to the occasion.

Pastor Jim McMillan said, “Our natural deep longing is to meet and worship face to face. But we understand the days in which we live.” further saying, “Like the persecuted church our relationship with Jesus survives any oppression. We are just so blessed that we can use technology to stay connected to one-another!”

An exciting vision and timeless mission.

In the first quarter of 2021 Genesis Church launched its new vision and mission.

Our Vision: Our vision is to see a flourishing Church with flourishing People living in a flourishing City.

Our Mission: We have 1Mission123. That is, to see Jesus’s grace and mercy come by proclaiming Him, making disciples and relying on the Holy Spirit.

In August 2022 Genesis Church took the unprecedented step of planting a church in Melbourne’s southern corridor – Kingston region, including Mentone, Mordialloc, Parkdale and Cheltenham areas. It’s common for city churches to plant churches in rural communities, not the other way round!

Genesis Church Launched GENCOM Kingston

Matt De Haan becomes Genesis Church Lead Pastor

On Sunday 27 August 2023 Matt De Haan was commissioned as the new lead pastor of Genesis Church. Matt and his wife Sam have faithfully served Genesis Church Maryborough from its very beginning in 1990.

Jim and Robyn McMillan served the church for 7 years helping establish deep roots into the local community, healthy church governance and solid biblical teaching and personal formation.